Rotor valve

ABSTRACT

A rotor valve having a straight, cylindrical rotor disposed within a cylindrical rotor chamber, the rotor being sealed within the chamber by a plurality of arcuate sealing segments which are retained in the annular clearance between the rotor and its chamber. The arcuate segments extend the full length of the rotor and are retained about and for rotation in unison with the rotor by means of lengthwise extending slender keys or ribs circumferentially spaced about the rotor. The keys protrude radially into the clearance to engage and separate adjacent lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments.

United States Patent 309; lav/625.45

[72] inventor David J. Barbuto,

Belmont, Mass. [21] Apple No. 786,579 [22] Filed Dec. 24, 1968 [4S] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 [73] Assignee Quality Controls Company, Inc.

Maiden, Mass. a corporation of Massachusetts M [54] ROTOR VALVE 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs. [5 2] US. Cl

[51] Int. Cl [50] Field ofSearch [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,845,248 7/1958 Fuglie Fl6k 5/04 3,218,026 11/1965 Roy FOREIGN PATENTS 1,374,459 8/1964 France 251/317 Primary Examiner-M. Cary Nelson Assistant Examiner-Michael O. Sturm Attorney-Kenway, Jenney & Hildreth.

ABSTRACT: A rotor valve having a straight, cylindrical rotor disposed within a cylindrical rotor chamber, the rotor being sealed within the chamber by a plurality of arcuate sealing segments which are retained in the annular clearance between the rotor and its chamber. The arcuate segments extend the full length of the rotor and are retained about and for rotation in unison with the rotor by means of lengthwise extending slender keys or ribs circumferentially spaced about the rotor. The keys protrude radially into the clearance to engage and separate adjacent lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments.

PATENTEU JAN 1 9 I97! SHEET 1 [IF 2 FIG. I

INVENTOR DAVID J. BARBUTO ATTORNEYS" PATENTED JAN 1 91971 SHEET 2 [1F 2 FIG. 2

X; Y I y... 72 H.

5 Wm). r 4 H -i- -m E? I gg w/ /g/w K E V m DAVID J. BARBUTO ATTORNEYS BY FIG. 3

KM I gmf HAM ROTOR VALVE SUMMARY (SFYTI-IE INVENTION,

. This invention relates to valves of the plug or rotor type and more particularly to an improved arrangement for sealing the rotor within its chamber. The valve, in. accordance with my invention employs-a seal formed from a plurality of arcuate segments, which are disposed circumferentially about the rotor.

' formed from a low friction material thus to reduce the force required to operate the valve and to provide a valve which needs no lubrication. Inaddition, the sealing segments may be somewhat resilient so that they may conform to any irregularities on the internal surface of t the rotor chamber, thereby eliminating the need for machining to close tolerances the rotor and chamber surfaces.

My invention employs an arrangement for retaining the arcuate sealingsegments in place on the rotor yet which permits any or all of the segments to be removed simply, with minimal skill and without the. use of special tools. In addition, because of the straight cylindrical contour of the sealing segments,

they do not tend to become jammed between the rotor and its chamber which simplifies furtherthe removal or replacement of the. segments. The ease with which the segments may be replaced enhances the versatility of the valve in that it may be used to control the flow of a wide variety of fluids by selecting sealing segments formed from materials which are compatible with the particular fluid and then replacing the segments valve which is sealed in a manner that reduces materially the need for precision machining of the rotor and internal surfaces ofthevalve.

A further object of my invention is to provide a valve of the type described in which the sealing segments circumscribe substantially all "of the rotor except for narrow heightwise spaces provided between adjacent edges of adjacent segments. The spaced, adjacent edges act to wipe sediment or other material that has been deposited on theinternal surface of the rotor chamber so that when fluid flows through the valve the wiped deposits will be carried away. Accordingly, it is among the objects of my invention to provide a valve which is self cleaning and requires little maintenance.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a valve of the type described in which no part of therotor itself contacts the internal surface of the rotor chamber'and in which only the sealing members contact the surface of the rotor chamber.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed. description thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of a three-way valve, shown partly in.

section, to illustrate the interior construction of the rotor and the sealing segments;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the valve as seen from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and t FIG. 3 is an illustration of one of the sealing segments. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the valve-includes a valve body 10 having a number of ports l2, l4 and 16 in communication with a central rotor chamber 18. The valve body 10 may be connected to suitable piping by means of flanges 19 formed integrally with the valve body 10, although it should be noted that other conventional connecting arrangements may be substituted for the flanges 19. A straight, cylindrical rotor 20 is disposed within the chamber 18, the chamber and rotor being dimensioned to provide an annular clearance 22 therebetween. A valve cap 24 which encloses the rotor 20 within the chamber 18 is fastened to the valve body by cap screws 26 or the like and a valves'tem 28, formed integrally with or secured to the rotor 20, protrudes upwardly through a hole formed in the valve cap 24. The upper protruding end of the valve stem 28 is provided with a ring 23 which receives a handle 25 to enable the valve stem 28 and rotor 20 to be turned to the desired position. The: extreme positions of the rotor 20 may be limited bymeans of a radially extending lug 31, secured to the valve stem, which is engageable with a pair of stops 33, 35, secured to exterior of the valve cap 24. O-rings 27, 29 are provided to seal the cap 24 to the stem 28 and valve body 10.

The rotor 20 is provided with bores30, 32 to effect communication between the ports 12, I4 and 16. It should be appreciated that although my invention is described herein as being incorporated in a three-way valve, it may be used in rotor valves having other porting arrangements. A substantially continuous seal is provided between the cylindrical surface of the rotor 20 and the internal surface of the rotor chamber 18 by the arcuate cylindrical segments 34, 36, 38 and 40 which extend along the full height of the rotor 20. The segments preferably are formed from a material having a low coefficient of friction, such as Teflon, thus reducing the turning torque required to rotate the valve. The relatively low operatingtorque permits the valveto be throttled smoothly without danger of straining or rupturing any of the valve components. The thickness of each segment should be equal to or slightly greater than the clearance 22 provided between the rotor 20 and the internal surface of therotor chamber 18 to insure that the segments 34, 36, 38 arid40 are in continuous contact with the rotor chamber. As shown in FIG. 3, each segment 34, 36 and 38 is provided with an opening 42, 44 and 46 respectively, which is adapted to register with the bores 30 and 32 of the rotor 20.

The invention also includes an arrangement for retaining the sealing segments in place circumferentially about the rotor 20 in a manner to provide a wiping surface which is effective to remove any substantial trace of sediment or material that has been deposited on the interior surface of the rotor chamber, thus to provide a self cleaning valve. As shown in FIGS. I and 2, a number of vertically disposed ribs or keys 48 are retained in vertically disposed slots or keyways 50 formed about the circumference of the rotor 20. The keys extend along the full height of the rotor 20 and'protrude radially into the clearance 22 so that a sealing segment may be placed between a pair of keys with the edges 52 of the sealing segments in abutting engagement with the sides of the keys 48. The keys protrude radially to an extent sufficient to effect a grip on the edge52 of each of its associated sealing segments, but do not engage the internal surface of the rotor chamber 18. Thus, when the valve is assembled, a wiping groove 54 is defined by the adjacent edges 52 of adjacent segments and the edge 56 of each key 48. As the valve is operated and the rotor 20 is turned within the chamber 18, the exposed edges 52 of the sealing segments will wipe the surface of the chamber 18. This arrangement is effective to insure that each of the segments will be retained in a fixedl circumferential position about the rotor 20 and will rotate only in unison with the rotor 20 as well as providing the wiping feature. This is particularly important with regard to the segments 34,36 and 38 in order to make sure that the openings 42, 44 and 46 are maintained in registry with the bores 30 and 32 at all times- An additional feature of my invention resides in the fact that, by mounting the segments to the rotor 20, as opposed to the inner surface of the rotor chamber 18, inspection or replacement of the segments is simplified greatly. Complete access to the sealing segments is obtained simply by removing the valve cap 20 and lifting the rotor 20, together with the segments 34, 36, 38, 40, bodily from the chamber 18. It will be appreciated that this enables the valve to be dismantled without disconnecting it from its associated piping. Once the rotor and sealing segments have been removed they may be inspected with considerably greater care than would be possible if the segments remained within the rotor chamber 18. Additionally, because the segments are not securely fastened to the rotor 20, such as by screws, bonding agents or the like, the segments may be removed by hand from between the keys. In this regard it should be noted that each of the segments 34, 36, 38 and 40 subtends an are that is equal to or slightly greater than the arc between the keys 48 which embrace the segments to provide a slight interference fit and thus insure that the segments will be gripped circumferentially by the keys 48.

An additional advantage of my invention resides in the fact that the plug and sealing segments are of a straight cylindrical shape and thus do not require an axial force to seal the plug as would be the case with a tapered plug.

it will be appreciated that the foregoing description of my invention is intended merely to be illustrative and other modifications and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its spirit.

lclaim:

1. In a valve having a valve body, a cylindrical rotor chamber formed in said valve body, and at least two ports formed in said valve body in communication with said rotor chamber, the improvement comprising, in combination:

a cylindrical rotor rotatably disposed within said rotor chamber, said rotor having a passage formed therein, said passage terminated in at least two ports at the cylindrical surface of said rotor, said rotor ports being registerable with said ports formed in said valve body in response to rotation of said rotor within said rotor chamber;

said rotor being of a smaller diameter than that of said rotor chamber to define an annular clearance therebetween;

a plurality of arcuate cylindrical sealing segments disposed within said clearance about the cylindrical surface of said rotor, said segments extending along the full length of said rotor and being of a thickness at least equal to said clearance between said rotor and said internal wall of said rotor chamber; and ribs disposed at the juncture of lengthwi's'eedges of adjacent sealing segments thereby to engager'andspace said adjacent edges of said sealing segmentsand-for mounting said sealing members for rotary movement in unison with said rotor and to preclude movement of said sealing members in relation to each other. 2. A rotor valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said sealing menibers for movement in unison with said rotor comprises a plurality of ribs mounted lengthwise to the cylindrical surface of said rotor and extending from the top to the bottom of said rotor, said rib protrudingradially into said clearance being spaced from the internal cylindrical surface of said rotor chamber, each of said ribs being spaced circumferentially about said plug so as to be disposed at the juncture of lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments thereby to engage and space said adjacent edges of said sealing segments.

3. A rotor valve as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotor has a plurality of keyways at its cylindrical surface and extending lengthwise from the top to the bottom of said rotor, and wherein each of said ribs comprises a key contained within each of said lengthwise keyways, said keys extending radially into said annular clearance to engage and space the adjacent, lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments.

4. A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein adjacent lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments are circumferentially spaced so that said adjacent edges may act to wipe the internal surface of said rotor chamber when said rotor is rotated. 

1. In a valve having a valve body, a cylindrical rotor chamber formed in said valve body, and at least two ports formed in said valve body in communication with said rotor chamber, the improvement comprising, in combination: a cylindrical rotor rotatably disposed within said rotor chamber, said rotor having a passage formed therein, said passage terminated in at least two ports at the cylindrical surface of said rotor, said rotor ports being registerable with said ports formed in said valve body in response to rotation of said rotor within said rotor chamber; said rotor being of a smaller diameter than that of said rotor chamber to define an annular clearance therebetween; a plurality of arcuate cylindrical sealing segments disposed within said clearance about the cylindrical surface of said rotor, said segments extending along the full length of said rotor and being of a thickness at least equal to said clearance between said rotor and said internal wall of said rotor chamber; and ribs disposed at the juncture of lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments thereby to engage and space said adjacent edges of said sealing segments and for mounting said sealing members for rotary movement in unison with said rotor and to preclude movement of said seAling members in relation to each other.
 2. A rotor valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said sealing members for movement in unison with said rotor comprises a plurality of ribs mounted lengthwise to the cylindrical surface of said rotor and extending from the top to the bottom of said rotor, said rib protruding radially into said clearance being spaced from the internal cylindrical surface of said rotor chamber, each of said ribs being spaced circumferentially about said plug so as to be disposed at the juncture of lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments thereby to engage and space said adjacent edges of said sealing segments.
 3. A rotor valve as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotor has a plurality of keyways at its cylindrical surface and extending lengthwise from the top to the bottom of said rotor, and wherein each of said ribs comprises a key contained within each of said lengthwise keyways, said keys extending radially into said annular clearance to engage and space the adjacent, lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments.
 4. A valve as defined in claim 1 wherein adjacent lengthwise edges of adjacent sealing segments are circumferentially spaced so that said adjacent edges may act to wipe the internal surface of said rotor chamber when said rotor is rotated. 